Practice Management

A paperless plastic surgery office is guaranteed to free up time for both you and your staff, as your productivity goes up and errors decline. While it might be tempting to cut back on staff hours with your newfound efficiency, there are better ways for your practice to make use of it. Consider ways in which you can enhance your patient’s experience with the extra time you now have to offer.

The Benefits of a Paperless Office

A paperless office is one that has fully employed all of the automated tools at its disposal to increase accuracy, efficiency and quality of patient care. Consider the benefits of going paperless:

Paperless files are easier to retrieve, share with other offices

Fewer risks of errors due to handwritten notes

File updates and reviews can be done from any location

More storage space within the office for other functions

Eliminate cost of paper and other supplies

The time savings with any of these benefits can be significant, particularly when you combine all these benefits into a single, effective office system. That time saved in paperwork can be better spent with your patients, to build your practice and your reputation.

The Customer Service Quotient

Your patients don’t want to feel like they become a part of an assembly line the moment they enter your office. They want to know you are tailoring your cosmetic procedures to their precise needs and expected outcomes. How do you ensure every patient feels like they are getting the individualized attention they deserve? By spending sufficient time with that individual every time she walks through your doors.

Some of the specific steps you can make to improve your patient experience include:

Ensuring patient calls get answered promptly by staggering staff so someone is always available to answer the phone

Lowering patient wait times in your office by creating an automated scheduling and reminder system to reduce no-shows and schedule your time more efficiently

Taking sufficient time to talk to patients at the initial consultation so they leave your office feeling comfortable with their procedure and confident with their decision

Following up with prospective and current patients to boost acquisition and retention numbers

Engaging patients through other channels, such as social media and your personal blog

Evaluating the experiences of your patients through surveys and other types of follow-up

Creating patient rewards programs to give your regular patients a reason to continue to return to your office and refer you to their friends

Plastic surgeons are tasked with a more challenging task of patient acquisition and retention due to the fact that insurance does not usually play a role in which patients contact them. Instead, they must rely on their presence online and in the community, as well as their reputation and quality of patient care. These goals can all be addressed more effectively when your office goes paperless and there is more time to spend directly with your patients.

Making the Grade

A paperless office works best when the automated system that is implemented can be customized to meet the unique needs of your practice. At PatientNOW, we offer software solutions designed by plastic surgeons for plastic surgeons, so you can rest assured the tools and features included in your product are created to work with offices just like yours. You can also further customize your software to meet your precise needs and the expectations of your patients. To learn more about PatientNOW or the solutions we offer, contact us today at 888-644-2987.

The world of plastic surgery has evolved considerably in the last decade, as digital solutions have largely replaced paper filing systems and even the telephone. The digital age has changed the expectations for the doctor-patient relationship today in a variety of ways. Check out these tips from PatientNOW to help you maintain positive relationships with your patients even as technology permeates every aspect of your practice.

Establishing a Patient-Centered Culture

While your patient files may be transferred to an electronic filing system and your internet presence becomes critical to building a patient base, the focus of your practice must continue to be on your patient. There are many benefits you and your staff will reap from going digital, but there are advantages to your patients as well. Keep your focus on your patients as you establish your electronic system, ensuring they will be as happy with the changes as you are.

Where is Your Focus?

The creation of electronic patient files makes retrieval of information much faster and easier than ever before. Incorporating the latest technology into your treatments increases precision, patient comfort and positive outcomes. However, if you are more focused on your technology than your patient, your practice may end up suffering in the long run. Your patient always needs to be the center of your attention. Use the technology to make consultations and examinations more efficient, but don’t spend more time looking at your computer than at the patient sitting across from you.

Make Digital Work for You

An automated office is a more efficient operation. You and your staff will be spending less time on administrative tasks and more time to interact with your patients. An electronic office also makes information retrieval faster and easier than ever before, which you can use to enhance your patient’s experience as you discuss procedures or the patient’s individual cosmetic goals. As you continue to automate your daily processes, focus on those benefits that will provide the greatest value to your practice.

Make Digital Work for Your Patients

At the same time, an automated office means greater convenience for your patients as they have more options for communicating with you and educating themselves on the procedures they might be interested in pursuing. Patients are now expecting those options to make their lives easier as well. Incorporate your technology with your patient’s experience in mind to ensure the technology you utilize will also help you increase patient acquisition and retention.

Choosing the Right Software

When establishing your electronic office, it is critical that you select software that will improve processes for both you and your patients. PatientNOW features products designed to increase patient engagement, even while improving office efficiency. Built-in features in our software packages will enhance your patient’s experience from their first contact with your practice and throughout their procedure process. Tools that are easy for you and your staff to use ensure that you can set up your systems quickly and customize them to your specific needs. Let PatientNOW help you improve your office operations and your relationships with your patients at the same time. To learn more about our software options, contact PatientNOW at 800-436-3150.

Moving your office from a manual to an electronic system can seem overwhelming. However, the benefits of going paperless can far outweigh any obstacles that might greet you during the conversion process. If you are hanging onto your paper files, PatientNOW has a few ways that manual system may be hurting your practice.

Accessibility

There is no way around it; paper files are simply as not as accessible as electronic alternatives. In addition to the time spent pulling them out and putting them away, they can take longer to read through. They can also get misplaced, while electronic files are always available as long as you know where your laptop or tablet is. In addition, paper files can only be used by one person at a time in your office, which can considerably cut down on efficiency and patient care.

Quality

Paper files are at the mercy of whoever is completing the information at any given time. If the handwriting is questionable, it can be very easy to misread the data. Paper can also get stained or torn, affecting your ability to accurately read the information inside. Electronic records eliminate these issues. It is also easier to standardize electronic files so that anyone reading the file in your office will have the same, accurate interpretation of the data provided.

Cost

On the surface, it likely appears that the transformation to an electronic system will be a pricey endeavor. However, consider the cost of creating and maintaining those paper files filling your office. In addition to the office space taken up with your filing system, you may be paying for a storage unit to hold old files you cannot eliminate. Even the price of the supplies for paper files will be eliminated through an electronic system, and there is no limit to the value you will gain in increased office efficiency.

Patient Relationships

Plastic surgery is a field where positive patient relationships are a necessity for building and maintaining your practice. If you are spending more time looking for files and staring at the many pieces of paper inside, you are not spending that time face-to-face with your patients. Your patients will also enjoy a higher level of service in your ability to collaborate with other physicians when necessary or even send their prescriptions directly to the pharmacy of choice.

Image

In today’s digital age, patients expect that same level wherever they go for service. If they arrive at your so-called “state-of-the-art” plastic surgery practice only to see you and your staff handling paper files, it could hurt your image. By fully automating your office, you will send the signal that you are committed to the latest technology in every aspect of your practice.

Automation can be a challenge for any medical office, but choosing the right software will go a long way in making the transition smoother and easier for everyone in your practice. PatientNOW features software products designed by plastic surgeons for plastic surgeons, allowing our software to fit seamlessly with your specific needs. From automated scheduling and EMR to improving your patient engagement, we have the tools you are looking for in your office. To learn more, contact PatientNOW at 800-436-3150.

Social media has become a primary method of marketing today, which means there is no escaping the need for this tool in your plastic surgery practice. Social media is used by practices and businesses of all sizes because it is one of the most effective methods of patient engagement and referrals. With millions of people using social media channels today, there is almost no better way of getting your practice name into the public eye. Here are four good reasons to make social media part of your marketing strategy.

More Exposure

Your presence on the major social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram puts your practice name in front of the more potential patients than nearly any other medium. In fact, patients in search of a plastic surgeon today are likely to check those hotspots almost as quickly as Googling physician directory and review sites. By making it as easy as possible for patients to find you wherever they might search, you can grow your practice without paying exorbitant amounts of money for the exposure.

More Engagement

Social media is designed for interaction between physicians and patients, which allows you to build trust and confidence with current and prospective patients that may find you. This is a perfect opportunity to highlight your facility, your staff and your procedures in a casual way that your patients will easily be able to relate to and understand. Patients can also comment and like your postings to feel like they are a part of your inner circle of connections.

More Education

Social media is also another opportunity for you to educate your patients about the procedures and treatments that are currently available. Facebook and other channels provide you the chance to whet a patient’s appetite for a procedure you offer and then encourage them to click on your website to learn more. The social media channels are also an effective place to draw attention to the procedures you are offering as a special promotion for the month or to introduce new treatments when they arrive at your office.

More Website Links

While your Facebook or Instagram page can offer plenty of pertinent information about your practice, converting potential patients into real leads involves getting them to click on your website. With the right enticements on your social media pages, you can increase clicks on your website as prospective patients seek out the blogs and other information you hint at on your social networks. Once they have arrived at your website and see all you have to offer, those prospects can be transformed into current patients.

More Analytics

With any type of marketing, analytics are essential to know whether you are getting the biggest bang for your advertising buck. This makes social media especially attractive from a marketing standpoint because tracking is already built right in. The numbers gathered from your social media activity can be invaluable to discover how your website is performing, where weaknesses in your marketing efforts might be and where you need to go to market your practice more efficiently. While social media is an effective marketing tool for plastic surgeons, it can be overwhelming to figure out how to use those channels to your fullest benefit. PatientNOW is ready to support you in your social media efforts with advantEDGE, our consulting service that provides you with the information and recommendations you need to make the most of your social media presence. To learn more about this service, contact PatientNOW today at 800-436-3150.

As you consider moving to a more automated plastic surgery practice, the change is sure to be met with more a than a little bit of trepidation. While an electronic office sounds more efficient, learning all the new programs also seems very overwhelming. Transitions can always be somewhat challenging, but by choosing a company like PatientNOW for your automation needs, you will have all the necessary support and guidance to make the transition as smooth as possible. Check out these reasons why even the least “tech-savvy” practices will benefit from implementing PatientNOW software.

Customized to Your Needs

PatientNOW software was designed by plastic surgeons for plastic surgeons. This means the software will be more intuitive than you might expect as it was created with your specific needs in mind. At the same time, you will likely find all the features of the software to provide value to your office, since they were customized to practices just like yours. The automated software will complement your office perfectly, increasing your efficiency without putting up more obstacles as you try to pick and choose the parts of the software that will fit your needs.

User-Friendly, Easy to Navigate

The user-friendly nature of the PatientNOW software makes it easy to navigate through the functions and set up your automated office just the way you want it. A practice like yours requires you to build relationships with your patients that will produce trust, confidence and referrals. By providing you with software that you can run with right from the start, we free up your time so you can spend it on your patients, rather than on learning complex technology.

Extensive Training Opportunities

PatientNOW doesn’t leave you hanging once your software is delivered. Remote training is included in the cost of your software package, which can be scheduled at a time that is convenient for you and your staff. A dedicated trainer will be assigned to your office to help with your initial configuration and your staff training. Training for a plastic surgery practice can be completed in just 24-32 hours and training for administrative tasks like scheduling, scanning and interoffice communications takes just two hours to finish.

Ongoing Support

We understand that problems or questions can arise once your software has gone live. We offer ongoing remote support through our website as well. In addition, there is plenty of helpful information right on our website to teach you how to make the most of all of your software features. We partner with you at the time of implementation and on down the road to ensure your experience with PatientNOW is a positive and productive one.

Reaping the Benefits

Once you have configured our easy-to-use software and it is a standard part of your practice, there are numerous benefits you will gain from your PatientNOW products:

Greater office efficiency means more time with your patients

Easy scheduling features reduce no-shows and increase revenue

Billing software allows for faster, more accurate billing procedures

Acquisition and retention software ensures no patient falls through the cracks

Enhance your patient experience to increase retention and referrals

PatientNOW has the products and features you need to take your plastic surgery practice to the next level. To learn more about our services, contact PatientNOW today at 800-436-3150.

It may not seem as though you are building the same patient relationship in plastic surgery as you do in other areas of practice, but if you are serious about growing your patient base, relationship is a must. Patients that have one plastic surgery often come in for additional procedures over time and a good relationship with you is a key factor in ensuring your patients will return to your office for those subsequent treatments. There are a number of additional ways patients that have an ongoing relationship with you can impact the success of your practice.

Patient Reviews

Patients are more likely than ever before to share their experience with your practice on popular review sites like Yelp. At the same time, patients in search of a plastic surgeon may check Yelp for information about the doctor they are considering from a patient’s point of view. This knowledge can be concerning to physicians since it seems like there is no way to control the information that is shared by your patients on these channels. However, maintaining a positive relationship with your patient after a procedure can go far in ensuring any reviews that are posted about you and your practice will be a help rather than a hindrance.

The Social Media Exchange

Social media is another channel where patients might be inclined to share information about their experience with you. When you consider how many friends and friends-of-friends a single Facebook post or tweet can reach, maintaining positive information on these sites is essential as well. At the same time, you can use your own social media channels to engage your patients, providing you with additional exposure and the potential for new patient acquisition as well as current patient retention.

Word-of-Mouth Referrals

When your patients are happy with your service and the results of their procedures, they are more likely to share their experience with friends and family members. Maintaining a relationship with your patients ensures that your name is at the forefront of their minds when discussing procedures with family and friends. It also leaves a positive impression on previous patients that might send others to your practice through word-of-mouth referrals.

Patient Follow-Up Tips

There are a number of ways to boost your patient retention, which can increase your patient acquisition at the same time:

Offer a patient loyalty program that offers discounts for repeat visits

Establish a birthday club so your patient receives contact from your office every year

Utilize patient surveys to determine what your practice does well and where you can improve

Follow up on review sites, thanking patients for positive reviews and offering solutions when reviews are not as positive

Manage social media to ensure that any negative posts are handled by your practice quickly and effectively

Developing and maintaining positive patient relationships can be easier than you think, with the help of a few simple automation tools. PatientNOW specifically designs software products for plastic surgeons interested in keeping the patient engagement intact long after the first procedure. Our Patient Acquisition and Retention (PAR) software efficiently manages the patient life cycle, creating a positive experience through every step of the process.

Don’t allow patients to fall through the cracks any longer. With PatientNOW solutions, you can maintain positive patient relationships both now and in the future. To learn more, contact PatientNOW today at 888-644-2987.

Individuals looking for plastic surgery today are relying more and more on the information they collect online for choosing the right surgeon for their needs. This includes online reviews written by former patients, much to the chagrin of plastic surgeons across the country that are still trying to embrace the idea of reputation management. Fortunately, you can make this process easier and more streamlined than ever before, thanks to a partnership between PatientNOW and Patient Approved.

The Importance of (and Problem with) Patient Reviews

Online patient reviews have been known to strike fear in even the top rated plastic surgeons today. Just one poor review, posted by a disgruntled patient, can impact the ability to attract new patients to your practice. In addition, few physicians have the time necessary to monitor review sites and social media to address possible concerns when they arise.

The good news is just as poor reviews may turn away prospective patients, positive reviews can attract them. What better way to acquire those positive reviews than been couraging your happy patients to post them in venues where others are most likely to see them?

Getting to the Source

The key to using online reviews to your advantage is to head first to the places where prospective patients are going. One of the best sources for physician reviews is Patient Approved, which has been providing patients with valuable information about physicians in their area since 2006. This is one of the few websites that avoids review biases, by encouraging doctors to get honest feedback from all of their patients.

The feedback is viewed by the doctor and then sent to partner sites of Patient Approved where they are sure to get plenty of views. In addition to giving doctors the tools necessary to build their patient base, it also provides those physicians with valuable information to make their practices even better. This also lets patients know the physicians on Patient Approved are committed to offering the highest level of care possible to their patients.

PatientNOW and Patient Approved

PatientNOW is partnering with Patient Approved to bring the next level of automation to our physician’s practices. Now, doctors that purchase PatientNOW EMR software will receive a basic version of Patient Approved to interact with their patients after treatments are completed. This strategic partnership allows you to seamlessly integrate patient review management with the rest of your office automation to increase patient acquisition without adding more work for your administrative team.

The PatientNOW software will automatically gather feedback from your patients using treatment pathways already integrated into our software programs. This feedback can be used by you and your staff to improve your level of patient care, while allowing you to share that information across the internet to attract new patients to your practice. Because patients tend to book appointments with physicians that have reviews online, you will be increasing patient acquisition at the same time you are providing valuable information about how well your practice is serving your current patients.

PatientNOW and Patient Approved are committed to helping plastic surgeons create healthy, robust practices by increasing patient acquisition, retention and office efficiency. To learn more about these services or the specific products offered by PatientNOW, contact our office today at 800-436-3150.

PatientNOW offers the latest in customizable software solutions for busy plastic surgery practices. Now, our clients can take patient engagement to the next level by incorporating New Look Now into the mix. New Look Now features a personalized treatment visualization platform that allows patients to “see” the results of their procedures before they book their appointment. When this platform is added to the many patient engagement features offered by PatientNOW software, doctors can rest assured they are covering all their bases when it comes to acquiring and retaining patients to their practice.

Benefits of New Look Now

One of the most difficult factors patients face when considering plastic surgery or a cosmetic treatment is how the results of their procedure will actually turn out. In addition to making a patient hesitant about investing in a procedure, it can be challenging to determine precisely which procedure will provide them with the best results. New Look Now takes much of the guesswork out of the process by moving the before and after photos from another person to the prospective patient’s own photo.

The platform is user-friendly and very easy for both patients and physicians to master. First, the patient uses any device to take a photo of the area they would like enhanced. Next, the patient uploads the photo into the New Look Now website, along with the treatment they are interested in. New Look Now then emails the patient’s own before and after visualizer directly to them within 24 hours.

Benefits for PatientNOW Clients

For clients currently using PatientNOW software or in the process of implementing PatientNOW platforms into their own practices, the addition of New Look Now can be invaluable to the process of patient acquisition and retention. The visualization platform allows you to further personalize your patient’s experience, enhancing your patient’s relationship with you and your practice. The simple use of these photo simulations can effectively decrease no-show rates, increase consultations and convert consultations to procedures.

For your practice, this means significant improvement to your practice’s revenue and bottom line. When combined with other features of PatientNOW’s own patient engagement software, you can enjoy long-term relationships with your patients, greater acquisition and retention and word-of-mouth marketing that goes a long way in building your practice. In addition, PatientNOW allows you to automate your office administrative tasks, taking you and your staff away from your computers and in direct contact with your patients.

Customized Solutions for You and Your Patients

New Look Now gives your patients the opportunity to try out procedures from the comfort of home, before scheduling the procedure with your office. The added features is a benefit not offered by the majority of plastic surgeons today, giving your practice a competitive edge when it comes to establishing personal relationships with your patients. Combining the service with PatientNOW’s own Patient Acquisition and Retention (PAR) software, your practice will be able to offer patients a unique experience that will build your reputation in your area and beyond.

Don’t settle for traditional approaches to building patient relationships. Your patients today are looking for ways to make their experience more convenient, comfortable and successful. Give them what they want with customized solutions from PatientNOW and New Look Now. To learn more, contact us today at 800-436-3150.

If you are looking for EMR and practice management services, you may be facing a number of different options. One thing to consider is whether to go with standard installation software or a cloud-based system that offers subscription pricing. Also known as Software as a Service or SaaS, this approach has been gaining steam in the medical community in recent years. There are a number of reasons why practices are moving to SaaS and subscription pricing as a more practical and affordable way to automate their offices today.

Budget-Friendly

Subscription pricing common with SaaS makes the entire process of automating your practice more affordable. Instead of one large cost up front, this system works on a “pay-as-you-go” basis, with monthly rates that you can easily work into your budget. This is a much more attainable option for many small practices today that allows them to see the financial benefits of an automated system over the long term without the initial pinch that traditional software systems require.

Faster Integration

Using SaaS makes integration of the software into your practice much more seamless. The software can be installed efficiently and configuration is already completed. Demonstrations can be performed quickly and conveniently for your entire staff to bring everyone in the office up to par on the new system. Easy implementation also saves you money in time for your employees to learn the system and other costs related to the training process.

Increased Mobility, Accessibility

With SaaS, you are able to take your practice with you just about anywhere. While your system will remain safe and secure inside the cloud, you will be able to access the information you need from any location and device. Most systems allow you to adapt files to mobile devices so you can check patient records on your phone, tablet or home computer.

Customizable to Your Needs

A subscription service allows you to customize the solutions you want to your specific needs. This is a significant money-saver, since you will only be paying for the services you actually use – no more, no less. In addition to spending less, you will be getting the full value out of the money you do invest in your new automated system, since you will be using every tool you are actually billed for.

Easier Upgrades

Upgrading this type of system is also much easier, since the subscription service will handle all of the upgrades for you. Your SaaS provider will be responsible for maintaining your system, updating as necessary and ensuring your service level remains consistent. At the same time, you can rest assured your security will be of the highest quality so you have peace of mind in knowing your patients’ sensitive information will be protected. With professionals on the job for the maintenance and security of your system, your time can be spent with your patients, rather than your computer.

PatientNOW features the practice management software you need to take your practice to the next level. Our customizable solutions offer everything you need to manage the daily operations of your practice, including patient engagement, billing and coding and patient acquisition and retention. With subscription pricing, you can enjoy lower rates overall and a high level of value from your investment. To learn more about our products, contact PatientNOW at 800-436-3150.

You may not think of customer relationship management (CRM) as an essential part of your medical practice. However, like any business, your goal is patient acquisition and retention if you are serious about building your patient base. CRM is the way to see improvements in both of those areas. Mobile CRM is the way to increase patient acquisition and retention and give your patients the precise type of experience with your practice they are looking for.

Why CRM?

The very nature of CRM, which is to improve the relationship with your existing patients, builds your patient retention. At the same time, CRM offers benefits to your patient acquisition because happy patients are more likely to refer you to family and friends. They are also more likely to give you favorable reviews on the websites patients tend to go to when they begin thinking about plastic surgery procedures.

CRM is a method of understanding the needs and concerns of your patients better so that you can address them more effectively. It provides a pathway for communication that allows you better insight into how your patients see you and your practice. That way, you can make any necessary changes to improve your patients’ experiences every time they walk into your office.

Why Mobile CRM?

People have migrated from PCs and laptops to mobile devices of all kinds. This allows all of us to take our business and our personal lives with us wherever we go. If you want to be fully accessible to your patients, going mobile is the way to go without a doubt.

The benefits of mobile CRM are numerous and include:

• Better access to information from any location

• Faster, more efficient patient communication

• Better insight into how patients see your practice

• Faster notification of concerns so answers can be found

• Convenience for your patients, which means higher patient retention

There are many reasons why you need to consider adding mobile CRM to your practice. The next question becomes, how do you go about it?

How PatientNOW can Help

At PatientNOW, we have the solutions you need to bring your patient relationships to the next level. Through automation of your office, you will have more time to dedicate to your patients, whether through face-to-face consultations or mobile communications. Our Patient Acquisition and Retention (PAR) software is specifically geared toward building those relationships with your patients that will keep them coming back to you for additional treatments and sharing your name with friends and family also interested in cosmetic procedures.

Our software package ensures no inquiry to your office gets lost in the cracks by automating the follow-up process. In addition, our software makes it easy for you to track both your referrals and your staff effectiveness, allowing you to make the necessary changes to improve your patients’ experiences with you. We even provide convenient, efficient ways for you to build your practice through specials, promotions and awards programs.

It is not enough to be a competent plastic surgeon with a good bedside manner today. The industry requires physicians to connect with patients in a much wider range of channels than ever before. At PatientNOW, we understand the pressure this can place on your practice, which is why we provide the specific solutions that can increase your office efficiency and patient engagement. To learn more, contact PatientNOW today at 800-436-3150.